Garages are useful for home activities and cars

Press, 10 July 1979, Page 22

Garages are useful for home activities and cars

A garage is a necessity and it takes up a lot of room. Therefore it should earn its ’ keep by looking attractive and doing more than merely providing a cover for a car.

A garage is used in a variety of different ways depending on the family. For many it is a place to house cars, boats, trailers and bicycle l ; but sometimes this is only a secondary reason for its existence.

A well designed garage is ore which adapts within a few minutes to serve as a wet weather drying area, or a play area cum rumpus room for house-bound children. Long term projects requiring plenty of space and storage such ar furniture renovations or childrens’ kit set hand-gliders can also be easily accommodated here ar.d work can be carried out without disturbance or having to be “tidied up” immediately — you can close the door and no-one will see ’he job in progress. At the same time it can be a place to store bits and pieces and at times a place where one can tinker with the car or

do odd bits of carpentry I f you have c

swimming pool, a big garage can be an advantage when you want a soot for a small toilet, change room/shower room or sauna; it could be built into a corner of the garage (especially a double one) with no trouble at all. Unfortunately, most people when buying their first home tend to falsely economise by omi.ting the garage from their initial plan due to steadily rising building costs. Sven if your budget does not run to a garage or carport look for a house where you can see the possibilities of adding a garage later on. If you are buying a project house talk to the firm’s architect and he will suggest the most appropriate position for you to add a garage later. If you are building now, then it does work out a little cheaper to build the garage or carport at the same time: you will be assured of matching brick, timber or roof tiles. If you are building, try to tiuld a double garage from the start. Even if you are only a one car family, the other garage will serve as extra space for storing tools, motor mowers and the children’s toys, and bikes. If you have only one garage you can fit peg board right along the wall for the tools and built-in cupboards can be fitted flush along the wall

length. These will be useful for storage of paints, cleaning equipment, toys, car accessories and outdoor folding furniture. Also remember that if you are going to rent or sell your home at any time, you will get a better profit if it has a garage or carport attached or on the property. Carports can be erected quite cheaply and while they are simple affairs of roof and columns they can be enhanced with flowering vines. The Building Centre aj 211 Cashel Street has information available on the various garage designs to be found. A building permit must be obtained before construction for any garage can be carried out. These are available from your local body or council office. For this you will need a site plan on where you propose to build your garage. Two copies are required of which the local authority will retain one copy. Example Measure from the nearest wall of New Building to:— 1. House. 2. To closest boundaries. 3. Street Frontage. 4. Other buildings in close proximity. 5. Other buildings within 3.048 on Neighbours’ section. (Type of building, i.e. toolshed, fowl house, etc.) 6. House to Boundary.